MPU secures U14 title

MP United Football Club’s Rohan Basnet, right, dribbles past Paire FC defenders during their first round meeting in the boys U14 division of the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

MP United Football Club had already clinched the boys U14 division championship with still one playing week left in the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League.

MP United claimed the division title early following a 5-0 triumph over Paire FC last Saturday at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. The shutout gave MP United a 7-2-0 win-draw-loss record, two victories ahead of Matansa Football Club (5-1-3), heading into this Saturday’s final set of games in the double-round robin competition.

Rintaro Miyawaki drilled a pair of goals in MP United’s win over Paire (0-0-9), while Rohan Basnet, Jason Quimzon, and Richard Steele contributed one goal apiece. Miyawaki drew first blood for MP United as he scored in the 11th minute for the squad’s lone goal in the first half.

Then in the second half, it was Basnet’s turn to get things going for MP United when he found the back of the net in the 41st minute. Ten minutes later, Miyawaki got his second goal, while Quimzon and Steele lit up the board in the 55th and 68th minute, respectively.

MP United, which also won the Spring championship in April for a sweep this year, will play its last game in the league’s fall season against Kanoa Football Club at 2:30pm.

TanHoldings 3, Shirley’s 3
Last season’s fall champion TanHoldings settled for a draw against Shirley’s in the second game last week.

Taka Borja recorded all three goals for the dethroned champion, with his conversion in the 59th minute saving TanHoldings from a loss. Borja’s two other goals came in the eighth and 42nd minute and his last helped TanHoldings (4-3-2) keep the No. 3 spot in the team standings.

Rakib Hassan, Ryan Kay Pangelinan, and Brandon Tenorio scored for Shirley’s, which is at fourth place in the division rankings with its 4-2-3 mark. Hassan posted his goal in the 11th minute, while Pangelinan and Tenorio had theirs in the 19th and 58th, respectively.

After the draw against Shirley’s, TanHoldings faced the visiting Tinian Premier FC in a friendly game. Devon Cabrera, Oliver Fajardo, Kohtar Goto and Reginal Pascual made one goal apiece to lift TanHoldings to a 5-1 win. J.C. Guitu registered the lone goal for Tinian Premier.

Kanoa 1, Matansa 0
Kanoa stunned the second-running Matansa in the curtain-raiser last weekend.

Brian Lubao delivered the goal for Kanoa in the 33rd minute. Kanoa earned its third win against sixth losses and hopes to close out the season on a winning note with another upset against the newly crowned Fall champion MP United this Saturday.

Matansa is also aiming to finish the season with a victory as it takes on Shirley’s in the last game at 4pm. In the first match, TanHoldings will duel the winless Paire.